Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-14
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Points from the Annual Report Of the
Trustees

Points from the Annual Report OF the
| Trustees
ADpfrIosAI SCHOOL AccoxuopA ATOMS Nrypxp-rHr
NECESSITY or ENHANCING THE WASHINGTON HIGH
| sCHooL-THE PAY OF TEACHERS.
public schools Of the District sent to the District
Commissioners to-day. says that the very liberal
provision made by Congress at It's last session for
| Increase and improvement OF the school.room
accommodation Afforded the children OF this Dis
tr1ct WILL upon completion Of the seven new build
ings provided, happily relieve TO q considerable
extent the unfortunate state OF affairs disclosed In
report OF the board for year ending June 30, 1885,
IL VIII require another and least as liberal an
appropriation for the same purpose to afford &C.
conmodation equal to the imperative needs Of the
schools. The Increase In attendance for the cur
rent over that OF the last school year is 200 pu-
pills, or enough OF themselves to NIL three OF the
seven new buildings provided.
THE HIGH SCHOOL
The board again invites your attention to the
necessity Of charging the Washington High school
building. The failure OF the recommendation made
last year to meet the approval or Congress has
peen attended by the unfortunate consequence, as
shown by the report Of Principal Paul. that $50 Of
department have entitled p' them to a aS,
mission 70 the High School. are un-
| OF each day OF the school year. Al the present
rate OF increase In attendance, no dimtnuttOn OF
m
per OF pupils so circumstaneed Will, for the next
and succeeding years, inevitably be considerably
! larger unless additional accommodation is pro-
The self-obviously necessary enlargement thus
recommended s by the board In IT'S report for last
sumabiy defeated by the objection that the ac-
comInodation for the lower grades was also In
suncient, and that, OF the two, the latter was
Titled to paramount consideration. IL the alterna-
tive really Is TO deprive either the lower or the
hgher grades OF educatlonal opportunity this board
concurs unanimously and most heartily in the
proposition above stated II Is deemed proper,
however, 10 invite your attention, and through
you that OF the law-making power to the follow
the High school, each school OF children is under
the Charge Of single teacher. taught In single
room, and reGqirng little Q. no apparatus or APP
other than such as can be readily supplied to the
room they occupy: Until, therefore, school build
ings adequate TO the accommodation OF the school
population OF this District be Afforded the evil
can DC at least aleviated by the creation OF rental
iund, such as was given US for the current year
W congress at It's last session. by the aid OF which
the accommodations we have can be supplemented
py SUCH as can be- rented. These are frequently,
and indeed generally, not well adapted TO The pur-
pose, and should be availed OF only BY reason OF
emergency, until adequate and suitable accommo-
dations can be provided. No such temporary re-
overcrowded High School In 1t the instructors
teach, not classes, but subjects. The same teach
ers instruct In due rotation, In the same class
rooms and with the aid OF the same apparatus ain
the classes In the natural sciences, Tor example:
and so IL Is with the Instructors In language, in
mathematics, and In each OF the other subjects
taught. Ii Is, consequently, indispensable that the
High school building should accommodate all High
school pupils. Supplemental accommodations In
the way or rented schOol-roomS wound necessitate
supplemental sets OF teachers, apparatus and ap-
piiances. which 1t would OF course, be impossible
TO provide. In the light OF these facts, and with
view TO the due accommodation and advantage OF
ali the schoolgoing population OF the District the
enlargement or the high School building before
the opening OF the next school year is in the opin-
lon or the board public necessity, urgently call
ing for prompt attention at the bands or the Com
mlsSionerS and OF Congress"
the best OF the high School teachers resigned In
June last 10 accept postonsin private institutions
suggestion. The recommendation relative to a
new and suitable building for the colored High
school is also renewed
MANUAL TRAINING.
The appropriation or 5000 for the purpose OF
Industrial education for the current year has rem
dered possible considerable enlargement OF the
facilities for manual training, with gratifying
prospect Of usefulness. schools Of woodwork
nave been established in several localities Tor In
Structon OF male pupils In the seventh and eighth
grades, as also cooking schools for instruction OF
females Of those grades; while at the High school
building school or metal working, including iron
and steel forging, moulding and turning Is In sue
cessful operation. The work Is popular and gives
promise OF great usefulness An appropriation OF
$4,000 for the ensuing year Is recommended, both
that the work may be extended and that facilities
for may be afforded pupils Of proper age In all
tne DIVISIONS. Inc appropriation Tor the present
year has been insufficient for the latter purpose
enabling the establishment Of manual schools In
only nse OF the eight divisions Constructive |
drawing however, which may justly be included |
as a useful part OF such training, is now taught
with good results, In all the divisions and In ali
the grades
THE PAR OF TEACHERS.
Several Inconvenience have resulted from the |
restriction In the appropriation bill forbidding the
increase OF salaries Of teachers receiving $500 or
more, the increase In the number OF teachers In
any such grade. The board has been In great
doubt whether 1t was not intended to be prohi- |
btion against any Increase In the number OF |
eighth-grade schools As the only alternative |
against closing the schools TO some $50 pupils |
trict OF Columbia whose opinion In the premIses |
was obtained, the additional schools REQUIRED were
established, and teachers Of the seventh grade |
question disqualnes all teachers receiving 500 or
more per annum from promotion, or from receiving
any increase In salary, which amounts to the |
same thing. Consequently, whenever vacancies |
have occurred In positions paying more than $500 |
per annum, II has been necessary TO pass over all
such VACANCIES either from the lower grades or
BY the appointment Of outside applicants OF whose
QUALIFICATIONS and et1icsency but an Imperfect !
prior knowledge could at best be had
Discontinuance OF the plan of annual Increases !
IN salaries OF teachers has produced the report |
says, much dissatisfaction among the teachers |
and at least an apparent inequality as between |
good many OF them. The unavoidable suspension |
Of the rule for the present year, however has ne
Tdtco Vi 10 teach 1
ers In all the grades receiving salaries In excess OF
$500 per annum, with no certainty that the newer
and consequently more poorly paid teachers Will |
receive equal compensation with their fellow |
teachers even after they shall have attained sub
stantially equal experience and efficiency.
III Congress shall pass law" the board says |
.'plainly prohibiting the system here referred TO-
il would become the duty OF the board to NIX uni.
form average salary for the teachers In the |
several grades, reducing the pay OF the |
more experienced and increasing that of the |
newer teachers for the purpose; and II such q |
law Is passed. that duty will be promptly per- |
formed. After careful study OF the question how.
ever, and with no possible interest In 1t except the
welfare OF the schools and just regard for the good
Of the teachers the best Judgment OF the board is
unreservedy In favor OF the system Of annual |
Increases for limited period, which has met tine |
concurrence and approval OF all our predecessors
In oice which, In It's practical workings our own
experience approves. and the principle OF which is
observed almost without exception wherever the |
public-sc school sy stem prevails
"Whatever action may be taken In regard to the |
system OF annual Increases, the board earnestly
recommends substantial increase in the salaries
OF our teachers. The salary OF messengers
throughout the Departments OF the Government Is |
liked by Congress at $40 per annum; that OF |
what are known as assistant messengers Is $40 |
per annum, while the average salary or the cult
OF our public schools Is limited to $3.50 per an.
mum. or only $40 per annum more than that OF q |
laborer In the Departments. All reside In the same
community, and subject to the same general 1
conditions which regulate the cost OF the neces-
sares OF life That the average salary thus al |
barely adequate TO the comfortable and decent |
support OF single person occupying that position
In life and that it affords no possible margin for
provision for sickness or old age to say nothing OF